Superstitions are said by some people to just be no more than old wives tales. Below are some of the superstitions that i think are real, make you mind up for your self...

Acorn: An acorn should be carried to bring luck and ensure a long life.

Amber: Amber beads, worn as a necklace, can protect against illness or cure colds.

Apple: Think of five or six names of boys and girls you might marry. As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off. If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have.

Baby: To protect the sex of a bay, suspend a wedding band held by a piece of thread over the palm of the pregnant girl. If the ring swings in a straight line the baby will be a boy.

Baseball bat: Spit on a new bat before using it for the first time to make it lucky.

Bed: Its bad luck to put a hat on a bed. If you make a bedspread, or quilt, be sure to finish it or marriage will never come to you. Placing a bed facing north and south brings bad luck. You must get out of a bed on the same side that you get in or you will have bad luck. When making the bed, dont interrupt you work, or you will spend a restless night in it.

Bee: If a bee enters your home, it is a sign that you will soon have a visitor. If you kill the bee, you will have bad luck, or the visitor will be unpleasant.

Bell: The sound of bells drives away demons because theyre afraid of the loud noises. When a bell rings, a new angel has received his wings.

Bird: A bird in the house is a sign of death. If a robin flies in to a room through a window, a death will shortly follow.

Birth:Mondays child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace, Wednesdays child is full of woe, Thursday's child has far to go, Fridays child is loving and giving, Saturdays child works hard for a living, The child that is born on the Sabbath day is fair and wise, good and gay.

Birthday cake: If you blow out all the candles on your birthday cake with the first puff you will get your wish.

Blarney stone: The blarney stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney castle tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive eloquence.

Bread: Before slicing a new loaf of bread, make a sign of the cross on it. A loaf of bread should never be turned upside down after a slice has been cut from it.

Bridge: If you say good-bye to a friend on a bridge, you will never see each other again.

Broom: Do not lean a broom against a bed. The evil spirits in the broom will cast a spell on the bed. If you sweep trash out the door after dark, it will bring a stranger to visit. Never take a broom along when you move. Throw it out and buy a new one. To prevent an unwelcome guest from returning, sweep out the room they stayed in immediately after they leave.

Butterfly: If the first butterfly you see in the year is white, you will have good luck all year. Three butterflies together mean good luck.

Candle: If a candle lighted as part of a ceremony blows out, it is a sign that evil spirits are nearby.

Cat: If a black cat walks towards you, it brings good for tune, but if it walks away it takes the good luck with it. Keep cats away from babies because they Suck the breath of the child. A cat onboard a ship is considered to bring luck.

Cheeks: If your cheeks suddenly fell on fire, someone is talking about you.

Chill: If you get a chill up your back or Goosebumps, it means that someone is walking over your grave.

Chimney sweep: Its very lucky to meet a chimney sweep by chance. Make a wish when sighting one, and the wish come true.

Cigarettes: It is bad luck to light three cigarettes with the same match. Circle: Evil spirits cant harm you when you stand inside a circle.

Clock: If a clock which has not been working suddenly chimes, there will be a death in the family.

Clover: It is a good luck to find a four - leaf clover. Clover protects human beings and animals from the spells of magicians and the wiles of fairies, and brings good luck to these who keep it in the house.

Coin: Its bad luck to pick up a coin if its tails side up. Good luck comes if its heads up.

Comb: To drop a comb while you are combing your hair is a sign of a coming disappointment.

Crack: Dont step on a crack on a sidewalk or walkway. Step on a crack, break your mothers heart.

Cricket: A cricket in the house brings good luck.

Door: Its bad luck to leave a house through a different door then the one you used to come in to it.

Dreams: If you dream of death, its a sign of birth, if you dream of birth, its a sign of death.

Ears: If your right ear itches, someone is speaking well of you. If your left ear itches, someone is speaking ill of you. Left for love and right for spite, Left or right, Good at night.

Eyelash: If an eyelash falls out, put it on the back of the hand, make a wish and throw it over your shoulder. If it flies off the hand the wish will be granted.

Foot: If the bottom of your right foot itches, you are going to take a trip.

Fingernails: It is bad luck to cut your fingernails on a Friday or Sunday. Fingernail cuttings should be saved, burned, or buried.

Fish: A fish should always be eaten from the head towards the tail. It is bad luck to say Pig while fishing at sea.

Flag: It is bad luck for a flag to touch the ground.

Friday: A bed changed on Friday will bring bad dreams. Any ship that sails on a Friday will have bad luck.

Frog: A frog brings good luck to the house it enters.

Hand: If the palm of your right hand itches it means you will soon be getting money. If the palm of your left hand itches it means you will soon be paying out money.

Horseshoe: A horse shoe hung above the doorway, will bring good luck to a home. In most of Europe protective horseshoes are placed in a downward facing position, but in some parts of the Ireland and Britain people believe that the shoe most be turned upward or the luck will run out. A horseshoe, hung above the bedroom will keep nightmares away.

Ivy: Ivy growing on a house protects the inhabitants from witchcraft and evil.

Knife: A knife as a gift from a lover means that the love will soon end. A knife placed under the bed during childbirth will ease the pain of labour. If a friend gives you a knife, you should give him/her a coin, or your friendship will soon be broken. It will cause a quarrel if knives are crossed at the table. It is bad luck to close a pocket knife unless you were the one who opened it. Knife falls, gentleman calls, Fork falls, lady calls, Spoon falls, baby calls.

Ladder: It is a bad luck to walk under a ladder. Ladybug: If a young girl catches a ladybug and releases it, the direction in which it flies away will be the direction from which her future husband will come. It is bad luck to kill a ladybug. Ladybug, ladybug, Fly away home, Your house is on fire, Your children all roam. If a young girl catches a ladybug and releases it, the direction in which it flies away and lands on a person, that will be their future husband.

Leaf: If you catch a falling leaf on the first day of autumn, you will not catch a cold all winter.

Lettuce: Lettuce is believed to have magical and healing properties, in including the power to arouse love and counteract the effects of wine. Lettuce promotes child bearing if eaten by young women, and certain types of salad can bring on labour in pregnant women.

Lie: Cross my heart and hope to die, Cut my throat if I tell a lie.

Lizard: To dream of a lizard is a sign that you have a secret enemy.

Mirrors: To break a mirror means 7 years bad luck. It is unlucky to see your face in a mirror by candlelight. A mirror should be covered during a thunderstorm because it attracts lightning. If a mirror in the house falls and breaks by itself, someone in the house will die soon.

Mistletoe: Mistletoe in the house protects it from thunder and lightning. It also cures many diseases, is an antidote to poison and brings good luck and fertility. A girl standing under a mistletoe cannot refuse to be kissed by anyone who claims the privilege.

Moth: A white moth inside the house or trying to enter the house means death.

Nose: If your nose itches, someone is coming to see you. If its the right nostril, the visitor will be female, left nostril, male.

Onion: An onion cut in half and placed under the bed of a sick person will draw off fever and poisons.

Opal: Unless you were born in October, its unlucky to wear opals.

Owl: It is bad luck to see an owl in the sunlight.

Pencil: If you see the same pencil to take a test that you used for studying for the test, the pencil will remember the answers.

Pepper: If you spill pepper you will have a serious argument with your best friend.

Photograph: If 3 people are photographed together, the one in the middle will die first. Rabbits foot: A rabbits foot will bring luck and protect the owner from evil spirits if carried in the pocket.

Rainbow: A rainbow in the eastern sky, the morrow will be fir the dry. A rainbow in the west that gleams, Rain tomorrow falls in the streams.

Raven: To kill a raven is to harm the spirit of King Arthur.

Red: A red ribbon should be placed on a child who has been sick to keep the illness from returning.

Robin: A wish made upon seeing the first robin in the spring will come true.

Rocking chair: If you leave a rocking chair rocking when empty, it invites evil spirits to come in to your house to sit in the rocking chair.

Rosemary: Rosemary planted by the doorstep will keep witches away.

Salt: Bad luck will follow the spilling of salt unless a pinch is thrown over the left shoulder in to the Devil waiting there. Put salt on the doorstep of a new house and no evil can enter. Salty soup is a sign that the cook is in love.

Scissors: If you drop scissors, it means your lover is being unfaithful to you.

Seagull: Three seagulls flying together, directly overhead, are a warning of death will come soon.

Shoes: Do not place shoes upon a table, for this will bring bad luck for this day, cause trouble with your mate and you might even loose your job as a result. Its bad luck to leave shoes upside down.

Sleep: You sleep best with your head to the north and your feet to the south.

Sneeze: Place a hand in front of your mouth when sneezing, your soul may escape otherwise. The Devil can enter your body when you sneeze. Having someone say God bless you, drives the Devil away. If you sneeze on a Monday, You sneeze for danger. If you sneeze on a Tuesday, kiss a stranger. Sneeze on a Wednesday, sneeze for a letter. Sneeze on a Thursday, sneeze for something better. Sneeze on a Friday, sneeze for sorrow. Sneeze on a Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow. Sneeze on a Sunday, and the Devil will have domination over you all week. One for sorrow. Two for joy. Three for a letter. Four for a boy. Five for silver. Six for gold. Seven for a secret never to be told.

Sparrow: Sparrows carry the souls of the dead, its unlucky to kill one.

Stars: All wishes on shooting stars come true. Star light, star, bright. First star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might. Have the wish, I wish tonight.

Swan: A swans feather sewed in to the husband pillow, will ensure fidelity.

Thirteen: If 13 people sit down at a table to eat, one of them will die before the year is over.

Tongue: If you bite your tongue while eating, it is because you have recently told a lie.

Umbrella: Dropping an umbrella on the floor means that there will be a murder in the house. It is bad luck to open an umbrella inside the house, especially if you put it over your head.

Valentines Day: If a woman sees a robin flying over her head on valentines day, it means she will marry a sailor. If she sees a sparrow, she will marry a poor man and be very happy. If she sees a goldfinch she will marry a millionaire.

Veil: A brides veil protects her from evil spirits who are jealous of happy people.

Weather: Red sky at night, is a sailors delight. Red sky in the morning, Sailors take warning.

Rain, rain, go away, Come again another day. Rain on the green grass, Rain on the hillside, But not on me.

Wood: Knock three times on wood after mentioning good fortune so evil spirits wont ruin it.

Window: All windows should be opened at the moment of death so that the soul can leave.

Wish: If you make a wish while throwing a coin in to a well or fountain, the wish will come true. Wish I may, wish I might, Have the wish, I wish tonight.

Wishbone: Two people pull apart the dried breastbone of a chicken or turkey until it cracks and breaks, each one making a wish while doing so. The person who gets the long half of the wishbone will have his or her wish come true.

X: The number of Xs in the palm of your right hand is the number of children you will have.

Yawn: A yawn is a sign that danger is near. Cover your mouth when you yawn, or your soul can go out of your body along with the yawn. Cover your mouth when you yawn, or you might let the Devil in to your body.

Wedding Superstitons

Wedding day: Certain days of the week, and certain months of the year are better than others for a wedding. Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday best of all, Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses, Saturday for no luck at all.

Married when the year is new, hell be loving, kind and true. When February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate. If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both youll know. Marry in the month of May, and youll surely rue the day. Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea youll go. Those who in July do wed, must labour for their daily bred. Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see. Marry in Septembers shine, you living will be rich and fine. If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry. If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember. When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.

Wedding day:

Good omens: Seeing a rainbow, having the sun shine, meeting a black cat, meeting a chimney sweep. Bad omens: Seeing a pig or a lizard running across the road, seeing an open grave, meeting a nun or a monk foretell barrenness.

Wedding cake: If a single woman sleeps with a piece of wedding cake under her pillow, she will dream of her future husband.

Other beliefs: If the groom drops the wedding band during the ceremony, the marriage is doomed. The new bride must enter her home by the main door, and must not trip or fall - hence the custom of carrying the bride over the threshold. The spouse who goes to sleep first on the wedding day will be the first to die.

Married in white, you have chosen right. Married in grey, you will go far away. Married in black, you wish yourself back. Married in red, youll wish yourself dead. Married in green, ashamed to be seen. Married in blue, you will always be true. Married in pearl, you will live in a whirl. Married in brown, you will live in the town. Married in pink, your spirit will sink.

Death Superstitions

Bird: A bird in the house is a sign of a death. If a robin flies in to a room through a window, death will shortly follow.

Candle: Light candles on the night after November 1st. One for each deceased relative should be placed in the window in the room where the death occurred.

Cemetery: You must hold your breath while going past a cemetery or you will breath in the spirit of someone who has recently died.

Clock: If a clock which has not been working suddenly chimes, there will be a death in the family.

Corpse: If a woman is buried in black, she will return to haunt the family. Mirrors in a house with a corpse should be covered or the person who sees themselves will die next.

Dog: Dogs howling in the dark of night, howl for death before day light.

Dreams: If you dream of death its a sign of birth and vice - versa. If you touch a loved one who has died, you wont have dreams about them.

Dyeing: A person who dies on Good Friday will go right to heaven. A person who dies at midnight on Christmas eve will go straight to heaven because the gates of heaven are open at that time. All windows should be opened at the moment of death so that the soul can leave. The soul of a dyeing person cant escape the body and go to heaven if any locks are locked in the house. Eye: If the left eye twitches there will soon be a death in the family. If a dead persons eyes are left open, they will find someone to take with them. Funeral: Funerals on a Friday portend another death in the family during the year. Its bad luck to count the cars in a funeral procession head on. Thunder following a funeral means that the dead persons soul has reached heaven. Nothing new should be worn to a funeral, especially new shoes. Pointing at a funeral procession will cause you to die within the month. Pregnant women should not attend funerals.

Grave: If the person buried lived a good life, flowers will grow on the grave. If the person was evil, weeds will grow on the grave.

Mirror: If a mirror in the house falls and breaks by itself, someone in the house will die soon.

Moth: A white moth inside the house or trying to enter the house means death.

Photograph: If 3 people are photographed together, the one in the middle will die first.

Thirteen: If 13 people sit down at a table to eat, one of them will die before the year is over.

Umbrella: Dropping an umbrella on the floor means that there will be a murder in the house.